Ashanti - Never Too Far Away

One of the great things about my job is that you never know what tomorrow will hold. One day you’re writing about Ja Rule, the next he’s in jail. One day you have no idea who Odd Future are, the next they’re everywhere. Considering her last solo feature was 2008’s Good Good I never expected to find a new Ashanti single sitting in my inbox, and yet here we are, with Never Too Far Away pacing through our headphones. R&B mainstay LT Hutton takes over production duties here, crafting a symphonic blend of pianos and strings that’s tailor made for the track’s cinematic origins. Vocally, this is Ashanti at her most dramatic – while she doesn’t bust out the fireworks a peer like Jennifer Hudson would she relies instead on her considerable charisma to carry the track. Is it a line she walks well? That’s up to the Booth to determine in the comments below. In the meantime, while there’s no word yet on a new solo album, fans can find Ashanti’s contribution (and much more) to the Dream House Soundtrack on September 30, when the film hits theaters nationwide.